Abstract: A container includes a receptacle to hold nutrients and other food contents for a smoothie. The container is used with a larger vessel such as a blender into which the capsule is inserted and into which water or other fluid is poured. When the blender is closed, the container opens to release its contents for blending with the fluid into a delicious, healthful smoothie. The container may have a cover with opening flaps and relatively movable elements that pivot the flaps open when opposite forces are applied to the container by the larger vessel.

Abstract: A blender system includes a blender including a bottle having a chamber, and a lid configured to couple with the bottle, the lid having a container receiver. The blender system also includes a container having a nutrient receptacle to receive contents with a closed end, a receptacle opening opposite the closed end, and at least one flap coupled to the nutrient receptacle via a flap hinge and positioned in a closed position to cover a portion of the receptacle opening. The container receiver is configured to position the container such that coupling the lid to the bottle with the container in the container receiver causes the at least one flap to rotate on the flap hinge to an open position to discharge the contents into the blending chamber.

Abstract: A blender for blending ingredients from a container with a fluid includes a bottle including a chamber with an opening to receive the fluid and a shoulder about the opening. The blender further includes a lid configured to couple with the bottle that includes a container receiver. The container receiver is configured to receive the container containing the ingredients and position the container against the shoulder when the lid is coupled to the bottle, wherein the shoulder is configured to have a shape and size to receive and seat the container. The container receiver is further configured to apply pressure to the container while the shoulder holds the container stationary to discharge the ingredients from the container into the chamber.

Abstract: A method for designing a smoothie pod includes: receiving input from a user via a user device that communicates with a beverage profile system over a communications network, wherein the input is received via a graphical user interface and includes selections of ingredients to be added to the smoothie pod; determining, via the beverage profile system, that a flavor profile of the smoothie pod that is based on the ingredients selected by the user includes at least one flavor type having a percentage of the flavor profile that is outside of an acceptable threshold percentage range of the flavor profile; and presenting a suggestion via the graphical user interface of one or more additional ingredients to be added to the smoothie pod to modify the percentage of the flavor type to be within the acceptable threshold percentage range of the flavor profile.